Yes, the 'Daily Fail' has just woken up to something that's been normal in cat breeding circles for a few years now - crossing domestic cats with their smaller wild cousins to produce exotic looking new breeds.
They may be the country's most popular pet, but the UK's seven million moggies now face bigger, tougher rivals on their territoryNot news, you'll agree, and really nor much of a problem either. If people want to pay £6000 for a pet, so what, as long as that pet is healthy?
Demand is surging for 'supercats' - domestic breeds crossed with larger African or South American wildcats.
Breeders are reporting up to six-month waiting lists for new kittens, despite price tags of up to £6,000.
But animal welfare groups have warned that the size and instability of such hybrids means they could pose a danger to other pets and even small children.Oh noes!
How many have they already mauled, given they've been here for years?
Err, none. At least, no horror stories are recounted by these 'animal welfare' groups. And I'm sure if they existed, the 'Daily Fail' would be licking their chops at the thought of printing 'I survived an attack!' recountings...
As always though, the most fun is to be had from the comments, which range from the sarcastic and sensible:
These foreign moggies will get loose and roam the streets at night savaging the drunks lying paralyzed in the streets.To the just plain hysterical:
- jack pudding, hammond indiana, 21/9/2009 5:13
Scare mongering utter nonsense.... Nanny state and so called "experts" pontificating
- cruster, London, 20/9/2009 22:20
They are still not as dangerous as the Labour Party
- Jane, Berkshire, 20/9/2009 19:14
Just wait for these to turn up on all the council estates in the land!Sadly, there seems to be far more of the latter.
- Clare, Somerset, England, 20/9/2009 16:13
I've seen wild cats in a private zoo in Malaysia, they are the most vicious creatures I have ever seen.
- Steve, Bedford, 20/9/2009 17:44
What idiot lets people import these things into the country ?
For a government obsessed with surveillance, they sure are useless
- up to our necks in Brown, suffolk, which used to be in England, 20/9/2009 18:37
Absolute lunacy. they will become a menace and a danger to children.
- John R, Chelmsford UK, 20/9/2009 19:30
Protecting the environment is not only about "greenhouse gases" and pollution.
Remember no-one saw any problem with introducing grey squirrels originally.
I do not normally agree with goverment interference, but these creatures are not natural and should be outlawed.
Just wait until the first baby or toddler is taken down by one these!!
- Colin, Aberdeen, UK, 20/9/2009 19:41
Well I guess that's what NuLabours Multiculural experiment has brought!!!! You should always stick to the same breed anything else is just dangerous
- Trevor, Perth, 21/9/2009 0:38
Oh, well. I, for one, welcome our new feline overlords:
see more Lolcats and funny pictures
I'd install the cats in 11 Downing Street asap. They'd clearly make a better job of it than that badger lookalike.
ReplyDeleteThe other exciting news is the prospect of a PCSO in every home.
ReplyDeletePigcat offers much more than companionship and is bright enough to ticket badly parked cars and deal with neighbourhood nuisance.
"They'd clearly make a better job of it than that badger lookalike."
ReplyDeleteHe's been a bit quiet lately, hasn't he? I'd wonder if the cat had got his tongue, but... ;)
"Pigcat offers much more than companionship and is bright enough to ticket badly parked cars and deal with neighbourhood nuisance."
Ah, if only they could deal with the latter. But it seems even the real police can't be arsed any more...
Sounds like a fantastic pet to have. The moment a baby gets eaten it will of course be the animals fault not the parents of said cat food or the owner. I'd have one tomorrow much less dependant on my attention compared to dogs in some ways and certainly no more dangerous than most breeds of dog. In fact if a bunny rabbit and a baby were locked in a room which would win in a death match, my money is on the omnivore bunny with the big sharp teeth and claws.
ReplyDeleteI like dogs as well just never had an aggressive one, probably more to do with their training and care than breed? An ex had a particularly aggressive Schnauzer, it seemed to like me which came as a surprise to her because I was told it didn’t like men? Perhaps that was something to do with her ex and the father of her son? Cute dog anyhow shame about the owner, lol.
ReplyDelete"I like dogs as well just never had an aggressive one, probably more to do with their training and care than breed?"
ReplyDeleteMostly, yes. The cliche 'there are no bad dogs, only bad owners' has a lot of basis in fact.
While some breeds are prone to defective personalities brought on by inbreeding, or have more capacity for serious injury if they do attack, it's the socialisation of a puppy tht determines their later behaviour.
Just as with humans.